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Give the Gift of Healthy Habits

This month toy drives are in full swing, but Food Literacy Center is holding a holiday drive to meet a different need — healthy food.

Childhood obesity is a leading public health concern that disproportionately affects low-income and minority children: 40% of Sacramento children are obese. Additionally, only 4% of Americans kids are eating their recommended daily amount of vegetables. This issue impacts our entire community.

Food Literacy Center teaches low-income Sacramento area kids nutrition and cooking to improve our health, environment, and economy. Their mission is to inspire kids to eat their vegetables.

This holiday season, Sacramento area community members can make sure every child in the Food Literacy Center after-school programs at Leataata Floyd Elementary and Pacific Elementary goes home for holiday break with a box of 25 fruits and vegetables — five a day for five days.

Participants are encouraged to purchase produce at select Whole Foods Market locations, but can also drop off fresh fruits and vegetables during the six-hour window that have been gleaned from their gardens or local trees. The produce wish list includes items that will stay fresh for several days, and foods that kids can eat without much help from an adult.

“During the holidays, there are many worthwhile causes providing gifts to kids. We’re in schools where 90 percent of the kids are on free and reduced price lunches,” said Amber Stott, executive director, Food Literacy Center. “When they go home for winter break, we want to make sure they have access to the fresh foods they’ve grown to love in our class. The donated produce will help them maintain healthy habits while also maintaining their enthusiasm for healthy food while they’re on break from school.”

The drive will take place 10am-4pm on Sunday, December 13 at the Arden Way and Roseville Whole Foods Market locations. Food Literacy Center hopes to raise 7,000 pieces of produce.

For more details on the Whole Foods Market Arden Way produce drive, click here. To learn more about the Whole Foods Market Roseville produce drive, click here.

***This blog post was written by Melissa A. Granville, the Community Relations Officer of the nonprofit Food Literacy Center. She’s a freelance journalist and passionate advocate of food education.